WHO WAS BORN IN THE KA'BA, ALI (A.S) OR HAKIM IBN HIZAM?

[Taqavi]

 

Who was born in the Ka'ba, Ali (A.S) or Hakim ibn Hizam?

 

Initially, it should be stated that both Shia and Sunni agree on the birth of Imam Ali (A.S) in the Ka'ba. Among the Shia scholars are some great scholars like; Sheikh Saduq,[1] Sharif Razi,[2] Sheikh Tusi,[3] Allameh Hilli,[4] Ayatollah Subhani,[5] Sheikh Ali Korani[6] and others...

Among the Sunni scholars are: Sibt ibn al-Jawzi,[7] Ibn Maghazli,[8] Ahmad ibn Hanbal,[9] Ibn Sabbagh,[10] ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sufuri,[11] Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Halabi,[12] Shah Waliullah Dehlawi,[13] Ganji Shafai,[14] and others...

In contrast to this consensus, another claim has been made stating that Hakim ibn Hizam was born in the Kaaba.

The claimants to this opinion fall into two groups:

The first group: Scholars who consider the birth of Ali (A.S) in the Kaaba to be weak and argue that only Hakim ibn Hizam was born there, such as Ibn al-Mulaqqin,[15] Suyuti,[16] Nawawi.[17]

The second group: Scholars who acknowledge the birth of Hakim ibn Hizam in the Kaaba but have remained silent on the birth of Ali (A.S). These scholars include Ibn al-Salah,[18] Hafiz al-Mizzi,[19] Dhahabi,[20] Ibn Hibban,[21] Ibn Hajar Asqalani,[22] Ibn Abdul Barr,[23] Azraqi,[24] Manawi.[25]

In response to this opinion, it is stated:

Firstly, the birth of Imam Ali in the Kaaba is attested through mutawatir (widely transmitted) reports. Allameh Amini has quoted from sixteen Sunni sources and fifty Shia sources that Imam Ali was born in the Kaaba.[26] He also mentioned 41 poets from the 2nd to the 14th Hijri century who have referred to the birth of Imam Ali in the Kaaba in their poems.[27] Even among the Sunni scholars, Al-Hakim al-Nishapuri[28] expressly states this, and a mutawatir report cannot be evaluated for its chain of narrators, and the concept of a mutawatir being weak is not meaningful.

Secondly, it must be said that those who have weakened the historical narration of the birth of Imam Ali (A.S) have not provided any evidence for their claims. For example, Ibn al-Mulaqqin writes: Hakim was born inside the Kaaba, and it is not known of anyone else born in it. As for what has been narrated about Ali (A.S) that he was born in it, it is weak. Al-Hakim contradicted this in his "Mustadrak" in the biography of Ali stating that reports have been widely transmitted about it[29] and as mentioned in the text Ibn al-Mulaqqin himself refers to Al-Hakim's disagreement with this weakening after stating it.

Thirdly, assuming that according to the Sunni view, this report is singular and weak, it is stated that according to the opinion of Sunni scholars, in the matter of virtues and honors, the chain of narrators is not examined and in the hadiths of virtues of deeds, the principle of leniency in the evidence of traditions is accepted.[30]

Finally, it should be mentioned that some believe that this narration was made with the intent to deny the virtues of Imam Ali (A.S) by the family of Zubair, as Hakim ibn Hizam ibn Khuwailid ibn Asad ibn Abdul Uzza and the family of Zubair are both descendants of Asad ibn Abdul Uzza.[31] Hakim ibn Hizam himself was among the opponents of Imam Ali (A.S).[32]

Considering these points, it is understood that the blessed birth of Amir al-Mu'minin (A.S) in the Kaaba is a point of agreement for all, and this virtue for Amir al-Mu'minin (A.S) is undeniable and from the Shiite perspective, this virtue is exclusive to the Imam (A.S) and not proven for others.

 

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[1] . Sheikh Saduq; 'Illal al-Shara'i'; Vol: 1, P: 135 / Sheikh Saduq; 'Ma'ani al-Akhbar'; P: 62.

[2] . Al-Sayyid al-Sharif al-Radi; 'Khasa'is Al-A'immah (A.S.)' (Virtues of the Imams), Vol: 1, P: 39.

[3]. Sheikh al-Tusi; 'Tahdhib al-Ahkam'; Vol: 6, P: 19.

[4] Allamah Hilli; 'Nahj al-Haqq wa Kashf al-Sidq'; P: 233.

[5] . Al-Subhani, Sheikh Ja'far; 'Adwa'a 'ala Aqa'id al-Shia al-Imamiyah wa Tarikhuhum'; Vol: 1, P: 139.

[6] . Al-Kurani al-Amili, Ali; 'Jawahir al-Tarikh'; Vol: 4, P: 314.

[7] . Sibt ibn al-Jawzi; 'Tadhkirat al-Khawas min al-Ummah bi Dhikr Khasa'is al-A'immah'; Vol: 1, P: 155.

[8] . Ibn al-Maghazli; 'Manaqib Ali'; Vol: 1, P: 26.

[9] . Al-Zarandi al-Hanafi, Muhammad ibn Yusuf; 'Nazm Durar al-Simatayn'; Vol: 1, P: 80.

[10] . Al-Maliki al-Makki, Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad; 'Al-Fusool al-Muhimmah fi Ma'rifat al-A'immah'; Vol: 1, P: 173.

[11] . Al-Safuri; 'Nuzhat al-Majalis wa Muntakhab al-Nafa'is'; Vol: 2, P: 159.

[12] . Al-Halabi, Nur ad-Din; 'Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah'; Vol: 3, P: 520 / ibid; Vol: 1, Page: 202.

[13] . Dehlawi - Shah Wali Allah; 'Izalat al-Khafa'an Khilafat al-Khulafa'; Vol: 4, P: 343.

[14] . Al-Ganji al-Shafi'i, Muhammad ibn Yusuf; 'Kifayat al-Talib fi Manaqib Ali ibn Abi Talib'; Vol: 1, P: 405.

[15] . Ibn al-Mulaqqin; 'Al-Badr al-Munir'; Vol: 6, P: 489.

[16] . Al-Suyuti, Jalal al-Din; 'Tadrib al-Rawi fi Sharh Taqrib al-Nawawi'; Vol: 2, P: 880.

[17] . Al-Nawawi, Abu Zakariya; 'Tahdhib al-Asma' wa al-Lughat'; Vol: 1, P: 166.

[18] . Ibn al-Salah; 'Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah', Understanding the Types of Hadith Sciences; Vol: 1, P: 487.

[19] . Al-Mizzi, Jamal ad-Din; 'Tahdhib al-Kamal fi Asma' al-Rijal'; Vol: 21, P: 63.

[20] . Al-Dhahabi, Shams ad-Din; 'Siyar A'lam al-Nubala''; Vol: 3, P: 46.

[21] . Ibn Hibban; 'Al-Thiqat'; Vol: 3, P: 71.

[22] Al-Asqalani, Ibn Hajar; 'Tahdhib al-Tahdhib'; Vol: 2, P: 447 / Al-Asqalani, Ibn Hajar; 'Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah'; Vol: 2, P: 98.

[23] . Ibn Abdul Barr; 'Al-Isti'ab fi Ma'rifat al-Ashab'; Vol: 1, P: 362.

[24] . Al-Azraqi; 'Akhbar Makkah'; Vol: 1, P: 174.

[25] . Al-Manawi, Abdul Ra'ouf; 'Fayd al- Qadir'; Vol: 2, P: 37.

[26] . Allamah Amini; 'Al-Ghadir'; Vol: 6, P: 23.

[27] . Ibid, P: 28.

[28] . Al-Hakim, Abu Abdullah; 'Al-Mustadrak 'ala al-Sahihayn'; Vol: 3, P: 550.

[29] . Ibn al-Mulaqqin; 'Al-Badr al-Munir'; Vol: 6, P: 489.

[30] . Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi; 'Al-Kifayah fi 'Ilm al-Riwayah'; Vol: 1, P: 133, 134 / Al-Suyuti, Jalal al-Din; 'Tadrib al-Rawi fi Sharh Taqrib al-Nawawi'; Vol: 1, P: 351

[31] . Al-Tustari, Sheikh Muhammad Taqi; 'Qamus al-Rijal'; Vol: 3, P: 603 /

ibid; Page: 629.

[32] . Al-Amili, Sayed Ja'far Murtada; 'As-Sahih min Sirah al-Nabi al-A'zam Salla Allah 'alayhi wa 'Alih'; Vol: 2, Pp: 251, 253